A Pebble on the Road
by IsabellaWinxSirenix
Summary: What were the emotions that led to Mary saying yes to being the mother of God, and more importantly, how did a certain archangel feel in response to her reply? An interpretation of the Annunciation. One-shot.


**Hello! For those of you who don't know me, I am IsabellaWinxSirenix, but you can call me Isabella. Generally, I do not write for this genre, so probably have never heard of me. This story was actually an English essay I had to write, but it seemed pretty fanfiction-like, so I decided to post it. It will probably be the only Bible story I'll ever write, though, so I hope you like it!**

**To my regular reviewers (lightball34, FluffyKitten, Lulu Love, etc.), I know this may be strange, seeing a Bible fanfic coming from me. However, let me remind you that I did let my religion slip in the 10th chapter of Angel's Sacrifice (the title was another hint). I also remember saying on the wiki that I am a Roman Catholic. Don't worry, What Happens in Cyberspace will be updated as usual.**

**This story was based on the song "Mary Did You Know" by Kenny Rogers and Wynonna Judd.**

* * *

Mary paused to take a break from her daily housekeeping and reclined in a fleeting moment of rest in front of the windowsill, admiring the way the sunlight reflected off the multi-colored pebbles lining the streets of Nazareth. The pebbles' tones ranged from earthy pink to vibrant blue, the colors forming a resemblance to rainbows often described in the merchant's vivid stories about realms were the grass was green and water from the heavens doused the people with God's grace, a paradise on Earth. Sighing, Mary wondered if she would ever venture to places like that. Surely, people there had much more exciting things to do than cook and clean for hours on end.

Unfortunately, that seemed to be the layout of her life now. For the millionth time that day, Mary twisted the simple necklace around her throat, the wooden beads most probably taken from odds and ends from her betrothed's workshop where he practiced carpentry. It was a plain gesture, but for Mary, who had never received such a frivolous gift in her life, it was a cherished present. To Joseph, her future husband, it may have symbolized a means of endearment and reassurance. To her, the necklace symbolized a once invisible union now made manifest. Taking one of the beads, she held it up to the glaring sunlight as if to reassure herself that it was real. Why was it so shocking to see it on her neck? In a way, it had always been there, unseen yet known from the time she was a small child. Maybe it was the looming imminence setting her on edge, or maybe it was thinking about the long, tedious years ahead. Either way, the necklace was a chain, tying her down to her little town of Nazareth instead of being able to see the world and all its glory.

Mary wanted to go places, to see the wonders of the world, and most importantly, to make a difference in the lives of others. She wanted to live a long, full life, filled with adventure and beauty. Maybe she would be like Moses, the renown prophet who lived to a whopping one hundred years of age. She had heard tales of the Fountain of Youth, and yet immortality was not her goal; rather, it was to become immortal in the hearts of people for generations to come. But who would remember her? She was a mere pebble on the road of history. She was nothing special.

But that was about to change.

From across the room, a pulsating orb of light suddenly appeared, growing in size and radiance until Mary was in the presence of a blinding sun, beautiful and immaculate like its recipient. The light twisted and distorted itself, the glow receding until Mary could cast her eyes upon this sudden, inexplicable intrusion.

Mary gasped, knocking over the water basin in her alarm, and yet she couldn't bear to look away.

She was staring into the face of an angel.

* * *

The Angel Gabriel looked down upon the girl with a certain scrutinizing curiosity. This girl had been spoken of in Heaven for eons, with ballads of her soon-to-be deeds and salvation to mankind sung by all seven choirs of angels. Finally, all the prophecies were coming to fruition. Her birth had been second in anticipation only to her son. Gabriel had known of Mary since his creation, and yet to see her in person was an entirely different matter. This Mary was no savior, just an average 14-year-old daughter of Earth, and for a moment, Gabriel wondered if this girl was the right one. He couldn't deny her looks, with her glossy auburn hair tumbling in waves behind her azure veil, yet standing there so amazed and afraid, she seemed so delicate and frail, not strong and confident mother of his Lord. Still, he had his orders to fulfill.

"Hall Mary, full of grace. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb."

Gabriel tried to sound reassuring, but one look into Mary's petrified brown eyes affirmed it was to no avail. _Great, now she's even more scared than before. Still, maybe it's for the best that she's scared, that she doesn't say yes. Maybe she'll have a chance at a normal life then._

"Who… who are you?" asked Mary, trembling in anxiety. Gabriel couldn't blame her. After all, his appearance to mortals wasn't exactly common. He had tried to appear human, with his glistening white robe and shining copper-toned hair, but judging by the way Mary was gaping open-mouthed at his dazzling feathered wings, the approach of normalcy wasn't exactly working.

Hesitantly, the angel decided to answer Mary's query with the truth. "I have many names, but you may call me Gabriel. I am a messenger of the Lord Most High, and I bear the tidings of utmost joy to you, fair maiden."

"Yes? And what is your message?" Gabriel raised his eyes in surprise. She did not doubt his word as he expected. In fact, now that Mary seemed to have a clearer understanding of the situation, she stood up straighter, looking Gabriel directly in the eye as if daring him to take back his claim of angelic divinity. Clearly, she wasn't going to be made a mockery of by anyone, even the powers of Heaven. Gabriel was admittedly impressed. Maybe she could be the mother of God after all.

"The Lord has announced that a son shall be born to you, and you are to name him Emmanuel. He shall be Earth's savior, and his kingdom shall have no end. Will you do as your God desires?"

Gabriel stood there in patience, a silent sentry, while Mary let his words sink in. The minutes ticked by, and still the girl remained in the same state of deep contemplation, driving Gabriel insane. What was her answer? Didn't she know what becoming the Mother of God would entail? The savior will be love made manifest, and yet his own mother will suffer more than anyone because of him. His burdens of the world will become hers. Her role in his life, in his upbringing, may very well change the course of human history. She will be praised by all of humanity, and yet her grief will be more than all of them combined. She will have to stand by, powerless, while the son she loves is torn from her. Doesn't she know what a burden that will be? Doesn't she know?

Still, she stood there, a 14-year-old girl forced to make an impossible choice. _This is my chance,_ she thought to herself. _This is my chance to make a difference in the world, to be a hero. I won't be a pebble in the road anymore; I'll be the shining cornerstone instead._ However, to mother the savior of the world was not an occupation one took on lightly. This was a pivotal moment in her life, changing her future for better or for worse. Once an answer was given, there could be no going back. The only question was would she choose herself or God?

In the end, her answer was simple. "I am the handmaid of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word."

Gabriel wanted to cry. _No, don't do it! You don't know what this means! _

Still, he knew it was too late. Mary had already spoken. With a nod of his head, Gabriel began to depart from the Mary, the face of innocence, blindly trusting in what she couldn't possibly understand.

_She doesn't know what this means, but one day she will. And I don't want to see her when she cries._

* * *

**As usual, that was a pretty mellow story. That's my writing style, folks. I tried to give Mary a vivid, more human personality, because I don't think being sinless necessarily made her perfect in every way. She struggled with temptation due to her humanity, but unlike us, she always made the right choice. I also wanted Mary to have a more independent, fierce spirit, instead of the gentle, motherly image we normally view her as. I'm not claiming to be a theologian; that's just my interpretation.**

**On either Monday or Tuesday, I'll update "What Happens in Cyberspace." In this chapter, expect the third wiki user, Kerry, to join the storyline, a certain superheroine to finally do something useful, and of course, more bad jokes and fourth wall breaking.**

**Hope you liked the story, and feel free to give me any critiques and constructive criticism you may have. However, keep in mind that I am a mere 13-year-old girl who has little writing experience, which is all the more reason for me to receive advice for the future.**

**Love to all,**

**Isabella**


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